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Saturday, July 21, 2012

This Saturday evening my linocut, "Goose on Lake" won Third Place at the Orange Art Association "Orange Open". There were 220 entries comprising 9 categories. "Goose on Lake" won in the Drawing/Illustration-Print Making-3D category. The Orange Open exhibit is being held at the Guggenheim Gallery at Chapman University in the City of Orange. By the way, the Third Place ribbon came with a cash prize!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Ali M., a fellow beginner in Vinita Voogd's printmaking class and a film production major, filmed the Steamroller event. His amazing 4-1/2 minute video can be seen in HD at this link, https://vimeo.com/41806497.The photo above is from Ali's video.

As a beginner, this semester's required projects listed in my printmaking class syllabus included two linoleum linocuts and prints, onechine-collé print, one blend(ed) roll print and one zinc plate intaglio print.

The 3-colored blended roll of my first linocut "Callas of Descanso" (not shown) and the black ink on paper of the "Goose" linocut (not shown) are currently on display at Saddleback College. I learned a tremendous amount on how to use the linocut tools between carving the linoleum for "Callas of Descanso" to carving the linoleum for "Goose".

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Above is the linocut for "Goose". It is cut in reverse. One has to carefully consider what is desired in the final print - what areas are to be inked and what areas are to have the uninked paper color show through. It's a bit of a brain twister.

I derived the image from a photo I took in 2006 at Lago Santa Margarita. I've been wanting to use the image artistically for the past 6 years. The orignal photo can be seen below.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

I'm attending a printmaking class at Saddleback College taught by Vinita Voogd. I think it's fair to say Vinita is an internationally recognized printmaker. One of the projects was to create a woodblock to be printed by a steamroller. That activity is scheduled for this coming Friday, April 20, 2012.

I finished the block early this afternoon...

For those who personally know me, yes, that is me holding a tool, a sharp tool...and I never cut myself!

Vinita is an incredible instructor and many of the class members produce gallery, if not musuem, quality work.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

For a
very, very long time I wanted to combine drawing in ink with watercolor painting.
That was a very readily achievable goal, but I put that off while I focused on
other art-related endeavors (that's just another way of saying I procrastinated
for a very, very long time).

In attending
an energetic reception at one of our favorites, Schroeder Studio Gallery, a lonely clipboard,
sitting off to the side, teased my curiosity. As I sauntered up to it, I
spotted a sheet clipped to the board headlined “Ink & Watercolor Workshop
Signup”. I decided not to argue with Fate. I gave Judy Schroeder my deposit.

I
ended up spending a completely enjoyable Saturday and Sunday with a small, enthusiastic
group of first-time-ever and intermediate level painters. At the very comfortable
studio storefront, Judy Schroeder provided the instruction, guidance and
creative spark. During those two days, Judy made sure that everyone of us got
every penny’s worth of our workshop fee. She paced us through a series of
assignments from testing permanent and water soluble ink pens and pen brushes
by themselves, then in a variety of combinations with watercolors, and onto a
final painting incorporating our favorite techniques.

Water and Pens Test Sheet

Judy’s
studio contained all the source material, vases and plastic produce for still
lifes and reference photos for scenic themes. Everyone us chose and arranged our
objects and proceeded to respond to Judy’s challenges. I had no expectation of
producing frameable work, I just wanted to learn and experiment. I left Judy’s
studio Sunday afternoon feeling fully satisfied at having accomplished a goal, long
ago imagined.

I’m finally posting some of
my efforts from that weekend. Judy will be conducting another “Ink
& Watercolor” workshop in June of this year, 2012.

...there's nothing better than sipping Champagne at an artists' reception!

-B. Echanow

ABOUT ME

A love for art and a reverence for flowers have been constants throughout my life's journey.
In 2008 I transitioned from directing the landscape architectural design of major transportation corridor projects to . . . artist.
I consider myself fortunate that everyday I see beauty in nature, in people, and in the man-made. I consider myself doubly fortunate that I am able to capture, convey, and share that beauty with words, paint, pencils, and pixels.

FEEDJIT

Please don't use your cell phone while you are driving; the life you save may be your child's.

(c) Copyright 2008-2016 by Bernard Echanow. All rights reserved. All images and text used on this blog are the property of the blog author unless otherwise indicated and shall not be reproduced in whole or part except as allowed by copyright law.